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Best practice in forensic entomology—standards and guidelines

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Abstract

Forensic entomology, the use of insects and other arthropods in forensic investigations, is becoming increasingly more important in such investigations. To ensure its optimal use by a diverse group of professionals including pathologists, entomologists and police officers, a common frame of guidelines and standards is essential. Therefore, the European Association for Forensic Entomology has developed a protocol document for best practice in forensic entomology, which includes an overview of equipment used for collection of entomological evidence and a detailed description of the methods applied. Together with the definitions of key terms and a short introduction to the most important methods for the estimation of the minimum postmortem interval, the present paper aims to encourage a high level of competency in the field of forensic entomology.

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Acknowledgements

The members of the EAFE, who made comments on, refined, supported and ratified the present paper in Lausanne.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Forensic Medicine, University of Frankfurt, Kennedyallee 104, 60596, Frankfurt/Main, Germany

    Jens Amendt

  2. Laboratory of Forensic Entomology, Section of Legal Medicine, University of Bari, piazza Giulio Cesare Policlinico, 70124, Bari, Italy

    Carlo P. Campobasso

  3. Départment Entomologie, Institut de Recherche Criminelle de la Gendarmerie, Fort de Rosny, 1 Bd T. Sueur, 93110, Rosny sous Bois, France

    Emmanuel Gaudry

  4. Institute of Forensic Medicine, Sensengasse 2, Wien 1090, Austria

    Christian Reiter

  5. University of Derby, Kedleston Road, Derby, DE22 1GB, UK

    Hélène N. LeBlanc

  6. Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD, UK

    Martin J. R. Hall

Authors
  1. Jens Amendt
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  2. Carlo P. Campobasso
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  3. Emmanuel Gaudry
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  4. Christian Reiter
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  5. Hélène N. LeBlanc
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  6. Martin J. R. Hall
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jens Amendt.

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Amendt, J., Campobasso, C.P., Gaudry, E. et al. Best practice in forensic entomology—standards and guidelines. Int J Legal Med 121, 90–104 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00414-006-0086-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00414-006-0086-x

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